A self-service terminal is generally defined as a device that is suitable for allowing a customer to conduct a transaction or to access information in an unassisted manner (that is, without requiring help from a human) and/or in an unattended environment (that is, an area that is not constantly supervised by someone physically present to ensure that the SSTs are not being misused). An SST deployer may decide to provide human assistance and/or supervision for customers of the SST (such as in a retail, airport, or hotel location); however, SSTs are typically designed so that such assistance and/or supervision is not essential. A common type of SST is an automated teller machine (ATM).
To ensure that an ATM remains operational, it typically includes management software for collating information from modules within the ATM, and status information about applications executing on the ATM. The management software typically notifies a remote management system of any errors or malfunctions that are detected in the ATM together with status information.
It is now common for an ATM owner to use an ATM control application provided by a first vendor on an ATM provided by a second vendor (different from the first vendor). An ATM control application provides transaction processing functions for customers, and module management functions for service personnel (such as engineers).
Transaction processing functions include a sequence of screens displayed to the customer, and associated commands for controlling the modules in response to customer inputs. Module management functions include state of health information and module test routines.
If the second vendor is responsible for servicing and maintaining the ATM, then the second vendor may not have access to information from the control application because this is provided by a different vendor and may not report status information to any entity outside itself (that is, outside of the control application). This makes it very difficult for the second vendor to manage the ATM efficiently.
It is among the objects of an embodiment of the present invention to obviate or mitigate the above problem, or other problems associated with prior art SSTs and/or the management thereof.